What to buy?

[lpickrell]

Hi all,

What's the best list to use when buying for a first time mum? I've mainly come up with static lists from blogs and stuff ... any online tools out there?

Thanks a lot,

Lee

[JiltedJohnsJulie]

Glad a breastpump helped you to continue bfing MJP but OP you are better waiting to see if you do need one. Like MJP its a unfortunate fact that many women don't receive the support they need in hospital. Before you buy a pump consider hand expeessing and put the numbers of the Bfing Helplines in your phone

[MrsMigginslovespies]

Oooh, exciting, congratulations!

Not too much more to add to others except I second the Isofix base. Also a buzzy bouncy chair, a jumperoo when older, a Close sling to start with, my Medela Swing breast pump, Lansinoh nipple cream, Angelcare Monitor and v shaped pillow. Lots of other stuff that's been mentioned too but these were especially useful (still are with DS who is 10 months now).

[BooMeowson]

I also love Amazon Family

[maternitart]

I would recommend getting a few really big muslins (try TK Maxx for Aden & Anais). They work as swaddling, sun shades, picnic blankets, a light cover, mopping up various stuff, and of course everything a standard muslin does.

Oh and if you are not a PJ wearer, I would suggest some PJ tops at least as if you're feeding or end up co-sleeping (and I don't think I know anyone who HASN'T done this at least once) you won't have your duvet over your top half.

A lot of people don't have them but I too am pleased we got a movement monitor. I struggled to sleep at all until we got one.

To be honest I didn't buy a lot before our baby was born and I quite enjoyed popping out after the first few weeks to get stuff. It gave me something to do!

I did buy a Close Caboo, moses basket with stand, and a bunch of basic white vests and babygros, all second hand for about £35 in total.

We got through 7 or 8 babygros on Boxing Day due to poo/wee/puke. No shops open! But at any other time of year the 24 hour giant supermarket is your friend.

[notsoold]

Loving the thread! :)
Yy to baby feeling too hot too cold.
Dd always felt the cold abd ds always felt too hot ( even now).
Because ds was a professional vomiter I used lots of sleepsuits.
And different from lots of ppl here , he had a baby bath both times as it was a way to keep the water warm and at even temperature. Later they played with toys in it during a hot summer
As toddler I filled with san so it became a sand box and later on it became our puppy bath ....

[SoYo]

I'm sitting here feeding my 17wk old and pondering what I've had that I would and wouldn't buy again and what basics you have to have so here goes:

Basics
Vests and babygros, I had 8 of each but depends on willingness to do washing. Supermarket ones are cheap & fine. Remember that you're probably going to keep bubba in a babygro for the first 12 weeks pretty much as its so much easier than dressing them, which is pointless when they're too small.
Hat, blanket, cardigan. Depending on when your baby is due depends in winter or summer hat or both!
Cot. I wouldn't buy a Moses basket again, madam refused to sleep anywhere but on us or in bed for the first few weeks and by the time she was back in her basket she was out of it 2mins later, I'd just get a cot with a drop down side that fitted in the bedroom next time.
Mode of transport. I've got a big, expensive travel system that actually I love but it doesn't fold down much and is a pain to transport. I am glad I've got it but if I was starting over I think I'd buy the most expensive Maclaren with their newborn kits and be done with it. I also use my stretchy sling a lot (cheap ebay one) but not so much the babybjorn.
Giant maternity pads. These look awful before but after, if you have stitches, it's like sitting on a very light mattress. I bought multipacks of very cheap, comfy, one size up black pants from primarni which were a great buy.
Nappies. Self explanatory.

Would buy
Bouncer. It's the only place we were able to put DD down for weeks. Worth it's weight in gold.
Giant muslins. I got fancy Aden and Anais swaddle ones. They're supposed to be £45 but TKMaxx had them for £16. I use them every day for wiping up drool/vomit, as a blanket, as a cover for pram in the sun, as a playmat outside etc etc.
changing table. I have a bad back so it's a good height.
Lambskin. It's the only way we've ever been able to get her to sleep anywhere but on us.
Lansinoh. Breastfeeding is bloody hard & hurts a lot at first. This is brilliant. Plus it makes a great general moisturiser for really dry bits, helps scrapes etc & is an amazing lip balm!

Wouldn't buy
Baby bath. We only used it a handful of times. Initially she hated it and preferred to bath with me, now she prefers just a couple of inches of water to lie in in the big bath.
Moses basket. See above.
Any outfits for at least first 8 weeks.
Breast pads. Bought loads & have never leaked so might be worth a wait & see.
Specific nursing tops. Easier with a vest under a normal top.
Anything for the nursery. I was convinced I needed to sort it before she came but I'd have been better off waiting until now so I knew what kind of things we needed.
Nursing pillow. Normal ones will do.

[EspressoMonkey]

If you do buy a high chair and you are short of space then get a collapsable one. Most high chairs by design have a wide base but smaller top, thus likely everone will trip over the legs a lot as they stick out.

[Pumpkinsquid]

Do not buy baby outfits!!!! You will not use them, and poor baby will not be comfy in some multilayered dress/fiddly dungaree combo however cute. Sleepsuits is all you need, and vests (keeps nappy in place to avoid poonami explosions in bed ) . Also Friends and Family will buy you all these lovely impractical baby outfits, keep the ones you like and take the rest back and change them for things you need, like a pramsuit, hats, sleepsuits, etc.

Dont buy all the cute babybedding, you wont need it! Avoid bumpers too however cute, theyre not safe and the first time I found DS tangled up in the bumper they went on ebay. You just need fitted sheets, cellular blanket and two grobags. (Poonami warning, one for the wash, one clean)

[Scrutler]

Something I wish I'd thought of when buying clothes / bedding for baby was to buy all in same colour so when explosive nappy in cot, everything can all be chucked in same washload rather than having to wait to wash say white sheet separately to red babygro.

[itsonlysubterfuge]

I haven't read what other people have suggested, but here are some of my own.

My baby hated her Moses's basket and it was useless for us.
We used wipes from birth and never had a baby bath, just put her straight into the big bath.
I needed breast pads for the first few weeks, but not after and I never used my £8 tube of Lansinoh.
My baby was too small for sleeping bags (she was normal birth) and I didn't use them until she was about 6-7 months, same with a cot.
We splashed out on a Cocconababy and I wish we would have had it since she was born.

For yourself make sure you have some pads and some big underwear. I ended up having to send my MIL to buy me some, as I wasn't expecting to have a c-section and all the underwear I had hurt my wound.

If your husband/partner isn't the best of cooks you might want to prepare some meals and freeze them, so you have some things you can just heat up if you aren't able or don't feel up to cooking.

Good luck.

[93pjb]

don't be conned into buying some very expensive pram/pushchair combo that promises to be everything you need from birth to school... You only need a carrycot/pram for six months max so it is better to buy a second hand one and then get a separate pushchair after that. Better to buy 2 things that do their jobs well than one thing that does 2 jobs badly if you see what I mean. (I think I went through 5 prams/pushchairs with DD before I worked this out and 1 with DS afterwards!)

[PoppyAmex]

I only discovered this a few months after DD was born, but it's my top tip: use terry cloth (face flannel size) instead of wet wipes.

SO many advantages...

• I didn't want to use chemicals (wipes are seriously harsh) but didn't fancy the water/cotton combo to clean poo.
  
• With one wet small terry cloth you can clean a horrible poonami in one fell swoop
  
• Never got the "finger through wipe" again
  
• It's eco-friendly
  
• It's cheap
  
• The baby looks and feels properly clean/washed every time you change them
  
• DD never had a single rash episode (now 15mo)
  
• Brilliant for babies prone to eczema etc.
  

I bought about 40 terry flannels; after use I put them in a dry bucket lines with a mesh bag. When it's time to wash just put the mesh bag in the washing machine and don't have to touch any yucky bits.

Gosh, I sound like a loon, really passionate about bottom wipes

[BeCool]

I actually used a moses basket with DD2 and found it very handy for the first few months. I could move her from room to room in it, and at night I had her in the basket on the bed with me, until we progressed to co-sleeping proper.

I used it for a few months, then I sold it online for £10 less than what I brought it for.

[Thurlow]

93pjb, I definitely agree. If you could spend £500 on a travel system, spend £250 on a pram and then £250 on a purchair. £250 will buy you a top of the range, all singing, all dancing Maclaren! Most people I know wanted to swap to a smaller, lighter pushchair by 8-12m, but a lot couldn't because they had spent so much on their travel system.

But then I am evangelical about my Techno XLR and will just be sticking the carrycot attachment on that for any future DC.

[Ellypoo]

We don't use a baby bath (use the sink or comes in bath with us), but do use a changing mats - otherwise bed and lounge floor would very often be covered with wee!!

Loads of muslin squares.

I stocked up on wipes and nappies in different sizes when they were on offer, different makes too, in case you don't get on with any particular type.

Got crib / bouncer / sling / play mat / mobile etc all second hand from car boot or borrowed.

Use quite a few little hooded towels but normal ones would be fine.

I would get tea tree oil for your baths for after the birth.

Things like bottles, steriliser etc I wouldn't get unless you aren't intending to BF - even then you can get them at 24 hr supermarkets etc.

[OddBodd]

A lot less than you might think or be told by Mothercare or BabiesRUs! For DS1 we had a moses basket, a cot, a carseat travel system, separate stroller, bumbo seat, baby bath, play mat, bouncer chair, rocker, waaay too many clothes, a sling, a steriliser, bottles, breast pump, baby towels, changing unit, sheets, jumparoo, door bouncer, baby gym, baby sensor (to make sur baby still breathes and moves in his sleep), and a whole host of other plastic tat that never saw the light of day.

DS2 we had a cot, sling, a moses basket, a changing bag, bouncer chair, some sleep suits, a few vests and a pair of boobs. He's still here, non the worse off for not buying all the claptrap! In all honesty, all a baby really needs is somewhere safe to sleep, a method of eating be it breast or bottle, a few light bits of clothing and some blankets.

[FudgeyCookie]

I found my muslin cloths went yellow really quickly no often how much i washed them - I ended up buying guest towels (bigger then flannels, smaller than hand towels) for 20p each in Ikea - not a sale price, is the normal price. They have washed really well, dont stay damp all day like my muslins did and haven't gone off colour!

[Ghanagirl]

If you have are expecting twins good twin pushchair plus 2 baby slings or carriers (for when you have help) def breast feeding cushion so you can tandem feed, 2 bouncy chairs you can bounce one with your foot while feeding one or put them facing each other while they cry!
Extra bedroom for your mum who you will force to stay with you for first few weeks

[ANJALI777]

hey hun, it's up to you how all out you wanna go, and i think the basics have been covered. A few tips though:

1. You will be given loads of stuff.
   

1. Generally stuff for small babies - bouncer, moses basket, cot mobile only lasts for 6 months max, so spend money on long term purchases. For example, I have borrowed stuff and have hand me downs for DS2's first 6 months of clothes, but bought a beautiful blanket for him that will last years.
   

1. If you buy something you don't know you are going to need, say a breast pump, or even extra clothes, keep them unopened and keep an eye on the return by date, so if you don't need it, or you are gifted it you can exchange it or get your money back.
   

I am sure everything will all appear the moment the baby is born, and you are resourceful enough to get through any crises - we have all had them!!!

[katydid02]

A sling or a pram depending on your preference, nappies and something for the baby to wear.

[withaspongeandarustyspanner]

stick blender.

[BratinghamPalace]

Moses basket is a handy way to bring the baby around the house without disturbing them esp if you have a two story house.
Only buy vests and baby Gros that open out flat. That way you do not have the bother (fear!) of trying to put it over babies head.
I got a bundle of coloured face cloths for the changing mat. Put them under the babies bottom when changing him/her. It really helps, you don't need a load of covers for the changing mat.
FILL THE FREEZER! And hey - it is the most delicious time. Enjoy!

[JiltedJohnsJulie]

Again I'd wait before buying anything like a stick blender. The current advise is to not wean before six months and your Lo might be a total spoon refuser, like my dd, and go straight onto normal family food

[IneedAsockamnesty]

Are covers for changing mats a new thing?

I've never even heard of them